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MEET CONNIE STEVENS

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In 1973, when Connie finished school at Denver University, she decided to follow her love for horses. Connie began working for the Preston-Smith Family in Denver, and in 1976 opened her own farm. Connie trained horses such as Volunteer, Hard Rain, and Moonraker that went on to International and National fame. In 1986, Connie left Denver, and returned back to her roots in the Midwest. Her contributions to the horse industry have been plentiful. Connie continued to train riders and horses of all levels. With the name of Matchmaker Ltd., Connie is well known for matching the right horse and rider combinations, whether they are children on ponies, equitation horses, or adults on hunters and jumpers. Connie's other passion is finding young prospects, making them up, and selling them. Evening After, As You Wish, Rodeo Drive, Kvell, Got the Feeling, Kindred Spirit, Tangiers, Undercover, Rocketman, Adlib, Superman, Paramount, Rondiamo and Optimized have been a few of Connie's successful finds.

Connie constantly looks to continue her education within the industry. She has hosted clinics and/or attended them with great horsemen such as Gordon Wright, George Morris, Bernie Traurig, Joe Fargis, Anne Kursinski, Scott Hofstetter, Louise Serio, Karen Healey, Michael Matz, John Roper, and Julie Winkel as well as consistently working with Michael Henaghan over the past decade. Connie is a "R" USEF hunter/jumper/equitation judge and member of the USET and USHJA. 

Many of Connie's junior riders have been with her since they were on ponies, competing successfully in the USEF Medal Finals and ASPCA Maclay Finals as well as having outstanding careers in the hunter, jumper, and derby rings as juniors and amateurs. 
 

One of Connie's strongest talents is caring for show horses. She has an uncanny way of taking an unhappy, thin, and poorly muscled horse and turning it into a beautiful athlete. Her amateurs love her ability to stay patient with them as she teaches, and many of her clients have been with her for 10 to 20 years. Matchmaker Ltd. clients enjoy showing both locally and nationally, traveling to shows such as Kentucky, Tennessee, Tryon, Michigan, and Long Island as well as the Winter Equestrian Festival in Wellington, Florida. 

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